Replace the harpoon anti-ship missile, this missile make the u.s navy
unstoppable. The u.s navy's literal combat ships (LCS) are slated to receive
eight smart stealthy and survivable norwegian RGM-184 Naval Strike Missiles
(NM) in two opposite-facing quad mounts.
Each NSM has a 100+ nautical mile (115 mile/185 kilometer) range and is
equipped with advanced sensors to circumvent and evade enemy ship radars in
if required also can target specific areas of an adversary's warship.
Thus, would it not be logical to replace the eight RGM-84 harpoon anti-ship
missiles mounted on the us navy's arleigh burke class destroyers with NSMs
for better anti-ship missile armament?
According to the sea power 2021 Almanac the air, sea and submarine launched
autonomous, all-weather over the horizon sea skimming active radar guided
harpoon anti-ship cruise missile has been upgraded a few times
With the latest upgrade, the Harpoon Block II+ having a new GPS guidance kit
improved weapon survivability and reliability and a new data link interface
that allows for in-flight updates and improved target selection.
The Harpoon is deployed onboard u.s navy attack submarines and surface
combatants, cruisers destroyers, one literal combat ship (RGM-84) as well as
on FA-18, F/A-18E/F, P-3 and P-8 aircraft AGM-84.
The standard high subsonic RGM-84 harpoon anti-ship cruise missile has a
range of 67 nautical miles and carries a 488 pounds (221 kilograms) high
explosive blast penetration warhead.
Each arleigh burke class aegis destroyer and ticonderoga class aegis cruiser
has a quad mount for four RGM-84 Harpoon ASM's stacked two by two at the
rear of the ship. Another quad mount faces the other way for a total of
eight harpoon asms.
In peacetime these harpoons are a potent weapon able to deter aggression and
provide standoff range against all surface ships.
However, in wartime the range speed and technological advantages of the
harpoon asm first fielded in 1977 come into question against newer and more
advanced adversary warships radars, anti-missile missiles close in weapon
systems ciws, rapid fire guns, jammers, electronic countermeasures and
anti-missile decoys.
A naval news article mentioned in the 31st of january 2019 that the upgrade
kits are used to turn older harpoons into the latest version dubbed rgm84q4
or block II+.
This version of harpoon has a range of 133.9 nautical miles 154 miles or 248
kilometers an all-weather radar homing guidance system in a new lighter but
more lethal warhead .
Naval news asked the us navy's chief of information department, chinfo in
august 2021 on if the US Navy intends to replace the aging harpoon anti-ship
missiles (ASM) aboard its Aegis Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers and if the
u.s navy intends to have the naval strike missile (NSM) be able to launch
vertically from the Vertical Launch System (VLS) aboard us navy warships and
submarines.
